Detergent dispensing apparatus for automatic washing machines



Aug. 11, 1964 Filed April 17, 1962 O. L. LONG DETERGENT DISPENSING APPARATUS FOR AUTOMATIC WASHING MACHINES 5 Shets-Shet 1 INVENTORI OLAN L. LONG ATTY,

5 Shets-Sheet 2 LONG El ATTY Aug. 11, 1964 o.

DETERGENT DISPENSING AFPARAT FOR AUTOMATIC WASHING MACHINES Filed April 17, 1962 FIG 3.

Aug. 11, 1964 o. LONG 3,144,031

DETERGENT DISPENSING APPARATUS FOR AUTOMATIC WASHING MACHINES 3 SheetsSheet 3 Filed April 17. 1962 INVENTOR', OLAN L! LONG W 5 W' United States Patent 3,144,031 DETERGENT DISPENSING APPARATUS FOR AUTOMATIC WASHING MACHINES ()lan L. Long, Hilliard, Ohio, assignor to Westinghouse Electric Corporation, East Pittsburgh, Pa., a corporation of Pennsylvania Filed Apr. 17, 1962, Ser. No. 188,108 3 Claims. (Cl. 134-3) This invention relates to charging dispensing apparatus for dishwashers and the like and has for an object the provision of charge dispensing apparatus which will introduce a plurality of successive charges of material at correct time intervals into a body of liquid in a tub chamber.

The invention has been developed in connection with dishwashers and other automatic washing machines for introducing successive charges of detergent, bluing, and the like into the wash water in the tub chamber and will be described in this connection but it will be apparent from the disclosure that it can have other uses. The disclosure will refer specifically to the introduction of powdered material but the apparatus can be used to introduce liquid material as well.

One of the objects of the invention is to provide dispensing apparatus having a shiftable liquid supply element, such as a nozzle, and which is empowered and timed for position-shifting movement of the nozzle through and by the manually settable timer shaft which is used for controlling the cycle of operations of the washer. Specifically, the manual operation which sets the timer for automatic cycling of the washing operations is employed to store energy in a power element, such as a spring, so that the timing mechanism itself will be required to supply substantially no power for moving the liquid supply element.

Another object is to provide liquid dispensing apparatus having a shiftable liquid supply element which is given a first shifting movement when the timer is set manually and which apparatus is at the same time empowered for another shifting movement under the control of the timer.

Another object is to provide a container for chargematerial which can be easily filled with charge-material and placed in a dispensing position where the liquid supplied by the liquid supply element can entrain it and introduce it into the chamber of the washer tub.

Another object is to provide a dispensing enclosure for the dispensing container which, as to its body or bulk, is disposed completely outside the main chamber of the tub, but which has the dispensing chamber open to the inside of the tub so that charges of material can readily be introduced from the inside of the tub but without danger of having the dispensing enclosure obstructed by articles being washed in the tub.

Another object is to provide dispensing apparatus having the liquid supply means located outside the tub chamber.

Another object is to provide an improved charge-material container and an improved mounting therefor. Another object is to provide apparatus of the abovementioned character which is simple, dependable and serviceable.

The above and other objects of the invention as well as various features of novelty and advantages will be apparent from the following description of an exemplary embodment thereof, reference being made to the accompanying drawings,wherein:

FIG. 1 is a front elevation of a dishwasher provided with apparatus embodying the present invention;

FIG. 2 is an enlarged elevation, with some parts in 3,144,031 Patented Aug. 11, 1964 Ice section, of apparatus seen in the upper right hand portion of FIG. 1;

FIG. 3 is a horizontal section taken on the line 3-3 of FIG. 2;

FIG. 4 is an enlarged vertical section taken on the line 44 of FIG. 1;

FIG. 5 is an inside elevation taken on the line 55 of FIG. 4;

FIG. 6 is a horizontal section taken on the line 6-6 of FIG. 5;

FIG. 7 is a view like the lower part of FIG. 4 but showing the material container tilted out at the top for receiving material or for removal;

FIG. 8 is an exploded isometric view showing the container removed from the dispensing enclosure;

FIG. 9 is an enlarged elevation of the timer cam and cam lever mechanism to illustrate the action, the full lines showing the position of parts just after the cam lever has been released from the cam and the broken lines showing the cam in its off position;

FIG. 10 is a view like FIG. 9 but showing the parts in a position where the cam is just beginning to turn the cam lever;

FIG. 11 is a view like FIG. 9 but showing the parts in a position where the cam is still turning the cam lever by manual operation;

FIG. 12 is a view like FIG. 9 but showing the position of parts at the end of manual operation and the start of automatic cycle operation; and

FIG. 13 is a vertical section of a slightly modified form of dispensing container.

The dispensing apparatus is herein shown installed on a dishwasher having a tub 10 which is mounted on rollers 11 riding on tracks 12 to move in and out beneath a shelf or counter as of a kitchen sink, the tub being held in place under the shelf by a latch 13 which is operated by a handle 14 carried by a shaft or rod 15 mounted on suitable brackets 16 carried on the front of the tub. The details of the latch operating mechanism, except for the shaft or rod 15, which is herein used as a mounting guide, are not related to the present apparatus, so are not illustrated.

A timer control device 20 for the washer is shown at the right side of FIGS. 1, 2 and 3, this timer being of the type having a setting and operating shaft 21 and hand knob 22 which turn only in one direction, clockwise. To start the machine, the hand knob is turned by hand to the starting position. This is the position shown in FIG. 12, the hand knob being omitted from this view to show parts therebehind. FIG. 2 shows the parts shortly after the start of the automatic cycle.

Nothing herein depends on the specific timer cycle or on the specific materials which are dispensed into the washer; but as an example, it may be assumed that the cycle is: (I) wash, (2) rinse, (3) wash, (4) rinse; that a first charge of detergent is introduced during the first washing period and that a second charge of detergent is introduced during the second washing period.

There are the usual supply pipes, valves and controls for hot and cold water, mixing and the like but these are not a part of the present invention and are not shown. It need only be noted that water is supplied through a flexible hose 25 which has a long free span and is bent back and provided with a rigid nozzle 26 which is carried by a suitable support 27 which is caused to move back and forth along a path where it can dispense water at a number of places, here into a plurality of funnels leading to a plurality of charge holding compartments. The support may be guided in its movements, as by being mounted on a guide rod, which here is the shaft 15 of the latch handle. The support brackets 16 of the shaft 15 are hand to start the 3 spaced apart sufliciently to accommodate the mounting and movements of the nozzle support and a biasing spring therefor.

'A compression spring 28 is provided on the shaft to urge or bias the nozzle to move to the right. When the timer shaft is turned by hand it moves the nozzle to the left, the movement being effected by a connecting rod .29 which is attached to the nozzle support at one end and to the outer end of a cam operated lever at its other end. The cam lever 30 is mounted for turning movement on a fixed pivot pin 31 and its inner cam follower end is actuated by a cam 32 fast on the hand operated setting and operating shaft 21 of the timer.

The cam 32 is formed and arranged to turn the cam :lever 30 in a direction to move the nozzle to the left against the spring 28 when the timer shaft is turned by cycle of operations and to release the lever so the spring will move it to the right at a predetermined time in the cycle of operations. Between the traversing movements of the nozzle the lever is held against the spring action by the cam but the parts are so formed and arranged that there is little or substantially no retarding force imposed on the turning of the shaft by this lever holding action.

The operation of the nozzle shifting apparatus can be followed from FIG. 2 and FIGS. 9 to 12. The timer shaft begins an automatic cycle of operation when it is manually turned to starting position shown in FIG. 12. From this position, the timer rotates the shaft in clockwise direction through an angle of about 315 degrees to the broken line position shown in FIG. 9, which may be referred to as the off position. To begin the next cycle of operation, as for washing another load of dishes, the shaft 21 is turned by means of the knob 22 through an angle of about 45 degrees to the starting position of FIG. 12 or point of beginning of the cycle.

In accordance with the present invention, manual force is utilized to provide the energy for moving the nozzle against its biasing spring, in order to avoid adding any appreciable load on the timer drive mechanism, this energy being supplied with little effort when setting the timer manually for starting a cycle. Accordingly the cam 32 on the timer setting shaft is so positioned as to actuate the cam lever 30 during this manual movement of the shaft.

The cam 32 here shown has a concave generally radial surface 33, a surface 34 concentric with the shaft and a generally radial surface which has a slight concave curvature.

During the manual turning of the shaft 21 and cam 32 the concavely curved leading surface 33 of the cam first engages the tip of the cam follower end of the lever 30, as shown in FIG. 9, and drives the tip to the right, as seen in FIG. 10, thereby producing counterclockwise rotation of lever 30 about its pin 31. The provision of the concavely curved form of the surface 33 provides a direction for transmission of force from the cam 32 to the lever 30 which is more nearly at right angles to the lever 30 and therefore more suitable for rotating the lever 30, particularly at the beginning of this movement. Upon further rotation the corner line formed by the junction between surfaces 33 and 34 engages the side of the cam follower end of the lever, as shown in FIG. 11. In further rotation of the shaft 21 this junction line of the cam passes out to the tip end of the cam follower lever to the cycle start position shown in FIG. 12.

Such counterclockwise movement of the lever 30 moves the nozzle 26 to the left hand position and at the same time compresses the spring 28 to store energy therein for subsequently moving the nozzle back to its right hand position.

During the first part of the cycle of operation effected by the timer after this manual setting, the nozzle 26 remains in the left hand position while a series of operations are performed by the Washer and during one of these operations, say a first washing operation, the nozzle will discharge water into a detergent-containing compartment to flush the detergent into the tub of the washer. The first washing operation may be followed by a pump-out, rinse, and pump-out while the nozzle is still held over in the left hand position. During this time the side of the cam follower end of the cam lever is resting on the rotating concentric surface 34 of the cam as the timer shaft rotates during the first portion of the automatic part of the cycle.

At a predetermined point in the movement of the shaft 21 the concentric surface 34 passes the tip of the cam follower end of the lever to permit the spring 28 to move the nozzle 26 to the right over a second compartment and turn the lever 30 clockwise. This is the full line position of parts shown in FIG. 9. Water from the nozzle will now be directed into this second compartment to flush the detergent therefrom into the tub of the Washer.

During the remainder of the cycle there may be any desired sequence of operation, such as, continued pumpout, additional wash, pump-out, rinse, pump-out, rinse, etc.

The means employed in association with the water discharged by the nozzle for introducing charges of material such as detergent into the tub comprises a pair of funnels 36, 37 which may be molded together from rubber or the like, these funnels having integral tubes 38, 39 with traps 40, 41, sealing flanges 42, 43 and delivery tips 44, 45.

The whole funnel and tube assembly is located on the outside of the tub and secured by any appropriate means in a position for the nozzle 26 to be located over one funnel when it is at the left end of its travel and to be located over another funnel when it is at the right end of its travel.

A dispensing enclosure 50 is provided on the tub in such manner that the body of the enclosure is located outside the tub chamber space where articles cannot obstruct the flow of liquid into the container compartment carrying material to be dispensed. However, the dispensing enclosure opens into the chamber space of the tub to make is easy to fill the container with material from within the tub or to insert and remove containers in the dispensing enclosure from within the tub chamber. Furthermore, when the container is located in dispensing position there is provided between the dispensing enclosure chamber and the tub chamber a separation or partition wall which will allow the water-borne material to enter the tub chamber but which will further guard against the entry of flow-obstructing articles from the tub compartment or chamber into the dispensing chamber.

As shown herein, the dispensing enclosure 50 is formed with a vertically curved back wall 51 which is concavely arcuate about a horizontal axis so as to form, in effect, a horizontal cylindrical portion. There are vertical generally radial flat side walls 52 extending inward from the back wall and also flat peripheral side flanges 53 which are sealed with and secured to the wall of the tub around the front edges of the dispensing enclosure.

Holes 54 are provided in the upper portion of the back wall 51 in which the tips 44, 45 are inserted and held by the sealing flanges 42, 43. The enclosure also comprises a lower vertical front partition wall 55 which covers the lower portion of the dispensing enclosure opening except for a bottom opening 56 through which the liquid-borne charge of material enters the tub chamber. The dispensing enclosure may be formed of a transparent or semitransparent plastic material which will permit visual inspection of the interior. Except for the possibility of breakage, glass could be used.

A charge-holding container 60 is formed as a removable bin-like unit with a front wall 61 behind which are provided a plurality of material-holding compartments 62, 63 having side walls 64 which are curved on the rear edge 65 to fit the curvature of the rear wall 51 of the enclosure,

although spaced therefrom in part as shown in FIGS. 4 and 7. Below the front wall 61 the container is jogged inward and curved upward and back down to form a retaining hinge seat 66 which rests on the top horizontal edge of the front wall 55 of the dispensing enclosure. The weight of the container bin compartments and the material in them holds the container back in proper dispensing position. An overhanging ledge 67 of the container engages behind a forwardly spaced upstanding edge 57 of the enclosure to assist in holding the container in closed position. A handle tab 68 is provided on the top edge of the container.

At the sides the front wall 61 of the container is provided with laterally spaced backwardly extending flanges 69 which embrace the vertical forwardly extending flanges 58 of the enclosure (or of a peripheral strip which is secured over it and which may also carry the upstanding edge 57) to aid in excluding tub water from the dispensing enclosure chamber.

The container may also be formed of a transparent or semi-transparent plastic material or glass.

There is a space behind the container compartments 62, 63 and when liquid is poured into a compartment having therein a charge of material, the liquid will entrain the material and overflow the back top edge of a compartment, carrying the material with it, the liquid-borne material flowing out the bottom opening 56 of the enclosure into the tub chamber. Small bottom holes '70 are provided in the container compartments to provide for draining any material which may not pass out over the top edge and for draining the compartments after the material has been discharged. Of course, if liquid material is to be held in the compartments to be dispensed the bottom holes will not be provided.

A projection 71 of the rear wall of the enclosure is engaged by a projection 72 on the lower back portion of the container to keep the container from falling further forward than to a well-open position, as shown in FIG. 7, where the compartments can be filled. If it is desired to remove the container, this can be done by lifting it up and out from this tilted position. The enclosure front w ll 55 is provided at its lower edge with a stiffening flange 73.

In FIG. 13 there is shown a modification in which the back wall of the enclosure is provided with a tubular upwardly extending portion 74 for the escape of gases, this tubular portion being as wide as the enclosure but divided at the bottom by a medial partition 75. Actually, this can hardly be regarded as a modification since it is simply a form with an added element and in some cases could be the 'preferred form. Because of this close relationship the same reference numerals are used for the form shown in FIG. 13 as are used for the form shown in the other figures.

It is thus seen that the invention provides a simple and eflicient arrangement for dispensing materials by an entraining liquid from a plurality of dispensing compartments at a plurality of spaced periods of time. Also that the timer itself by the initial manual setting provides the energy and control of the operations without the need for any auxiliary equipment. If only one charge is wanted it can be placed in either dispenser compartment desired, leaving the other compartment empty. While only two compartments have been shown, it will be understood that there can be more than two compartments and by suitable change in the shape of the cam 32, the shifting of the nozzle for this arrangement can be properly controlled.

While one embodiment has been disclosed for purposes of illustration, it is to be understood that there may be other embodiments and modifications within the general scope of the invention.

What is claimed is:

1. Charge dispensing apparatus, comprising in combination,

a washing tub chamber into which a plurality of charges of material are to be dispensed,

a plurality of container compartments for holding material to be dispensed,

a shiftable nozzle arranged to move between a plurality of positions for introducing liquid selectively into said compartments,

energy storing means urging said nozzle in one direction,

a timer for controlling washing operations, said timer having a manually settable timer shaft movable from an off position to a start position for starting a washing cycle,

a cam on said timer shaft for controlling the movement of said nozzle,

a nozzle operating lever having an operating connection with said nozzle and having a cam-actuated portion arranged in operative relationship with said timer shaft cam,

the cam being so shaped and the lever being mounted with its cam-actuated portion so disposed that when said timer shaft is manually turned from said off position to said start position to start a washing cycle said cam and lever move the nozzle and store energy in said energy-storing means for subsequently moving the nozzle, the cam also being so shaped as to hold said nozzle in its shifted position for a predetermined time after the start of the washing cycle and then release it for shifting movement by said energy-storing means during movement of said timer shaft from said start position to said off position.

2. Charge dispensing apparatus as set forth in claim 1, further characterized by the fact that said cam is provided with a coneavely curved generally radially disposed front surface which engages one side of the cam-actuated portion of said lever during manual movement to starting position to swing said lever and move the nozzle, and the cam also having a following concentric surface which engages the side of the cam-actuated portion of said lever for holding it in the swung position for a predetermined time until released by the cam during the washing cycle.

3. Charge dispensing apparatus for dishwashers and the like, comprising in combination with the tub of the washer,

a washing cycle timer having a rotary shaft,

a plurality of charge-material holding container cornpartments,

a shiftable liquid supply nozzle for selectively supplying liquid to said compartments to wash material therefrom into the tub,

energy storing means arranged in biasing relationship with said shiftable nozzle,

means on said timer shaft for shifting said nozzle and storing energy in said energy-storing means when the timer shaft is turned manually from an off position to a starting position, and

means on said timer shaft arranged to subsequently release said nozzle for movement by said energystoring means during movement of said timer shaft from said starting position to said off position. References Cited in the file of this patent UNITED STATES PATENTS Sharp et al Aug. 21, 1956 Gayring et al Dec. 12, 1950 Douglas Nov. 20, 1951 Gerhardt et al. July 24, 1961 Lines Dec. 20, 1961 Cushing Nov. 6, 1962 

3. CHARGE DISPENSING APPARATUS FOR DISHWASHERS AND THE LIKE, COMPRISING IN COMBINATION WITH THE TUB OF THE WASHER, A WASHING CYCLE TIMER HAVING A ROTARY SHAFT, A PLURALITY OF CHARGE-MATERIAL HOLDING CONTAINER COMPARTMENTS, A SHIFTABLE LIQUID SUPPLY NOZZLE FOR SELECTIVELY SUPPLYING LIQUID TO SAID COMPARTMENTS TO WASH MATERIAL THEREFROM INTO THE TUB, ENERGY STORING MEANS ARRANGED IN BIASING RELATIONSHIP WITH SAID SHIFTABLE NOZZLE, MEANS ON SAID TIMER SHAFT FOR SHIFTING SAID NOZZLE AND STORING ENERGY IN SAID ENERGY-STORING MEANS WHEN THE TIMER SHAFT IS TURNED MANUALLY FROM AN OFF POSITION TO A STARTING POSITION, AND MEANS ON SAID TIMER SHAFT ARRANGED TO SUBSEQUENTLY RELEASE SAID NOZZLE FOR MOVEMENT BY SAID ENERGYSTORING MEANS DURING MOVEMENT OF SAID TIMER SHAFT FROM SAID STARTING POSITION TO SAID OFF POSITION. 